How long for air consumption to improve?
- Thread starter Wheeler925
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Caversluis
Registered
Many new divers are overweighted. This means they have to put more air in the BCD in order to stay neutrally buoyant. This increases resistance, which means higher air consumption.
There is a really simple way to check this. Take a look at your BCD at the end of a dive.
1) Beach dive: when back at the shore, do not inflate your BCD. When on the shore, look at how much air there is in your BCD. For every liter, you can take of 1 kg of weight
2) On a boat dive: ask your buddy to check your BCD before you surface. Do this at the safety stop. For every liter, you can take og 1 kg og weight.
Note: I the above, I am assuming that your surface with 50 bar. If you surface with significantly more, you need to compensate for the weight of the gas that is still in your cylinder. A normal 10L cylinder can contain 2 kg of air. So if you surface with 150 bar, there is still 1 kg of air in your cylinder, which means you should have 1L of air in your BCD.
There is a really simple way to check this. Take a look at your BCD at the end of a dive.
1) Beach dive: when back at the shore, do not inflate your BCD. When on the shore, look at how much air there is in your BCD. For every liter, you can take of 1 kg of weight
2) On a boat dive: ask your buddy to check your BCD before you surface. Do this at the safety stop. For every liter, you can take og 1 kg og weight.
Note: I the above, I am assuming that your surface with 50 bar. If you surface with significantly more, you need to compensate for the weight of the gas that is still in your cylinder. A normal 10L cylinder can contain 2 kg of air. So if you surface with 150 bar, there is still 1 kg of air in your cylinder, which means you should have 1L of air in your BCD.
RobPNW
Contributor
Another thing I've noticed is I spend a lot more time underwater doing nothing now, lingering, hovering over the reef etc, as opposed to moving around. A lot of time, if I linger as quietly as possible (and of course using a lot less gas), I see a lot more and the sea life comes back to me. I've grown to appreciate the value in staying put and quiet in one spot and being a fly on the wall.
Simondmd
Registered
This is really helpful thx. I have just come back first dive trip in a while and was using more air than my newly certified kids. I relate to the diagonal situation you describe. Could you explain more on shifting weight to fix this? Are you saying there is a way to get weight further up your body than where the belt typically sits around your waist? I was also finding a tendency to 'roll', so moved weights further round towards my front which fixed that.
@Wheeler925
Lots of great advice here.
Pick one thing to work on during each dive (like “no hand swimming” and then later “belly breathe”) and you’ll start seeing improvements. Don’t expect to implement everything here at once.
Pretty soon you’ll have a new frustration - having tons of air and ABT remaining at the charter’s end-of-dive time (usually 50 minutes).
Keep going. You got this.
Lots of great advice here.
Pick one thing to work on during each dive (like “no hand swimming” and then later “belly breathe”) and you’ll start seeing improvements. Don’t expect to implement everything here at once.
Pretty soon you’ll have a new frustration - having tons of air and ABT remaining at the charter’s end-of-dive time (usually 50 minutes).
Keep going. You got this.
Putting some of your required weight in a couple of trim pockets on the upper tank band usually works well. (Push them as close as you can toward your back to minimizing rolling.)
For example, I need 10 lbs in salt water w/ 3mm wetsuit to be neutral with minimal air in an AL80 tank and my BC. By putting 2 lb in each trim pocket and 3 lb in each waist pocket, I am balanced. I don't rotate when I stop kicking, and can tip up or down by extending arms or legs.
Simondmd
Registered
I think you mentioned swimming on the back while on the surface. If you fully inflate your BC, especially a wing, it will likely push your torso up out of the water and rotate your legs downward. Additionally a jacket style BC may also squeeze the bejeebers out of you making breathing difficult. Do what you prefer, maybe something you can work on in the pool trying different methods, see what works best for you. As to drag, that is a hopeless pursuit. The best way to reduce drag is to reduce equipment encumbrances and trim as horizontal to your intended direction as possible/comfortable.
I do often surface swim on my back with a wing and I do not fully inflate. I get enough air in that I am buoyant but with an 18 or 22 pounds of lift wings, it is not much.
It is not recommended loitering on the surface to remove your regulator. And for a long surface swims, most use a snorkel and swim face down. That may or may not be advisable in some locations.
I think that will be the other way around. Resistance training, especially at higher weights and lower reps will build muscle mass. Cardio, running, swimming, cycling, rowing, stair steps, treadmills, will build aerobic fitness. But a balanced program will include resistance training.
My observation of folks today is that their favorite exercise is the fork lift, moving food from their plate to their mouth
. Loosing some weight and a balanced fitness program is probably best for most divers.Weight and trim are big contributors. The more you dive you'll notice your consumption improve. A lot has to do with your mental state too. Excitement, apprehension, new dive site, new dive buddy etc., all contribute.
Relax and enjoy the dive - watch your gauges
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